Telecommunications system architecture

ABSTRACT

The efficiency of a telecommunications network is enhanced by associating each of the communication switches forming the network with an external connection control processor and forming the switches into respective groups of communication switches. The communication switches forming a respective group of switches are fully interconnected to one another and then each of the communications switches forming a respective one of the groups is connected at least one other group of telecommunication switches as a way of interconnecting the groups with one another.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a flexible architecture for atelecommunications system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The level of traffic that is routed over the public switched network isincreasing at an appreciable rate, and is now straining the callprocessing and termination capacity of the various switches that formthe network. Moreover, it is likely that the capacity of even thelargest of such switches will be exhausted in the next decade due to theever increasing levels of traffic. This problem could be addressed bybuilding switches having a level of call processing and call terminationcapacity that is sufficiently large to deal with current as well asfuture levels of network traffic. However, the development andmanufacture of such a large switch could be very expensive.

Alternatively, switches could be added to the network as needed tohandle increasing levels of network traffic. However, since the switchesforming a telecommunications network require a high degree ofconnectivity to minimize multihop routing and call processing as isshown in FIG. 1, then each switch that is thereafter added to thenetwork to meet increasing traffic demands would have to be connected tomany or all of the other switches in the network via respective trunksgroups. For such full direct connectivity, the number of such trunkgroups would equal the number of switches already in the network. Also,routing and translation tables at each of the existing network switcheswould need to be updated to account for the newly added switch. It mayalso be necessary to rehome a large number of toll connect trunks if theassociated network happened to be a so-called interexchange carrier(IXC) network. It is thus apparent that adding switches to a network asthey are needed would also prove out to be very expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problems associated with prior communication systems are dealt withby providing an architecture for a communication system which forms aplurality of communication switches into groups of communicationsswitches as a way of increasing the call processing capacity of theresulting system, in accordance with the principles of the invention.

In one illustrative embodiment of the invention, a plurality ofcommunication switches each associated with a respective connectioncontrol processor are formed into respective groups of communicationswitches. The communication switches forming a group of switches arefully interconnected to one another and each such switch is connected toat least one other group of telecommunication switches as a way ofinterconnecting the groups with one another. In this way a call receivedby the communication system is forwarded to a determined one of theswitches in a selected one of the groups and the calling and signalinginformation associated with the call is supplied to the connectioncontrol processor associated with the determined one of the switches.The associated connection control processor then determines the way inwhich the call is to be forwarded to the called station via thedetermined switch.

These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from theensuing detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing;

FIG. 1 illustrates the architecture of a prior art telecommunicationssystem;

FIG. 2 illustrates a communications system arranged in accordance withthe principles of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustrative example of a translation table that may beused to translate a telephone number into a switch cluster address;

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a switch cluster of FIG.1; and

FIG. 5 illustrates another alternative embodiment of a switch cluster ofFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An illustrative embodiment of the invention will be discussed in thecontext of a telecommunications system network operating as anInterexchange Carrier (IXC), which routes telephone calls, typicallyreceived from a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC), over long distances (thus,long distance calls) via conventional toll switches, e.g., thewell-known 4ESS toll switch developed by Bell Laboratories and availablefrom Lucent Technologies Inc. It should be understood, however, thatsuch a discussion should not be taken as a limitation of the claimedinvention, since those skilled in the relevant art and having knowledgeof the following description will be able to devise many equivalentarrangements which embody the principles of the invention.

With the foregoing in mind, communications system 1000, FIG. 2,comprises a plurality of what we call switching centers (clusters), sixof which are shown in FIG. 2, namely, switch clusters 100 through 600.Each switch cluster comprises a plurality of toll switches, where a tollswitch may be, for example, the well known 4ESS toll switch availablefrom Lucent Technologies Inc. In an illustrative embodiment of theinvention, the switches forming a respective cluster are preferablyco-located in the same building, and are fully interconnected to oneanother. The toll switches forming a cluster communicate with oneanother via, for example, a local data network 150 (shown as a dashedline in FIG. 2) for the purpose of forwarding call control to oneanother. For example, information associated with a call, e.g., calledand calling telephone numbers, address of the trunk over which call isbeing forwarded and address of the destination switch cluster, is sentas an intra-cluster signaling message via data network 150 in theforwarding of a call from one switch in a cluster to another switch inthe same cluster. The user information, e.g., voice samples, is routedover the trunk identified in the message once the call has been set up.The receiving switch thus correlates the information received vianetwork 150 with the identified trunk to implement the connection.

Continuing, a switch cluster, in turn, is interconnected in accordancewith an aspect of the invention with the other clusters of the networkto eliminate the need to provide almost full connectivity of networkswitches, as was done priorly. (Note that we fully interconnect theswitch clusters, but not the individual switches.) For the sake ofbrevity and clarity an example of such connectivity is illustrated withrespect to cluster 100 only. We achieve full connectivity of clusters,in accord with an aspect of the invention, by interconnecting theclusters/buildings via trunk groups respectively associated with one ormore switches forming the cluster. For example, switch cluster 200connects to switch cluster 100 via toll switch 105; switch clusters 300and 400 connect to cluster 100 via toll switch 110 and so on. The switchclusters communicate with one another via high-speed communication path,for example, a conventional SS7 network, to forward information relatingto respective telephone calls that they may forward to one another as isdone conventionally. Thus, at least one switch in a cluster (group) ofswitches has a direct trunk group to at least one switch in anothercluster.

It is also seen from FIG. 2 that a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) may beconnected directly to a switch cluster, as is the case for LECs 25-1,25-2, 30 and 40 connecting to switch cluster 100 or indirectly as is thecase for LECs 35 and 45, which connect to switch cluster 100 via switchclusters 400 and 300, respectively. LECs, e.g., 25-1 and 25-2, mayconnect directly to two switches of the same cluster. (It is noted thatin certain cases a LEC may connect to (home in on) at least twodifferent switch clusters (not shown in the FIG.))

A telephone call is thus routed within the architecture of thecommunications system of FIG. 2 from one switch cluster (building) to adestination switch cluster (building) containing the switch fabric thatextends the incoming call to the called telephone line. Such routing,therefore, contemplates a hierarchical addressing scheme that uses aunique code to identify a respective building/cluster, rather than aspecific switch within the cluster. Within the cluster the addressscheme is reduced to a code identifying the switch that may be used toforward/route the call to the called telephone line, in which theaddress scheme is further reduced within a switch to a code identifyingthe trunk which connects the switch directly/indirectly to the calledtelephone line.

When a call enters network 1000, the originating switch cluster thatreceives the call analyzes the called telephone to identify thedestination switch cluster (i.e., the address of the destinationcluster) for the call. The originating switch cluster (hereinafter also"OSC") then attempts to route the call to the destination switch cluster(hereinafter also "DSC") via a direct route (trunk). To do this, the OSCthat received the call simply determines if it has an available directtrunk to the DSC. If so, then the OSC forwards the call to the DSC viathe available trunk and forwards the associated call information theretovia an appropriate signaling path, e.g., the aforementioned the SS7network. If a direct trunk is not available, then the OSC determines ifa 2-link route to the DSC is available. In doing so, the OSC determinesall of the available 2-link routes to the DSC and selects from theavailable 2-link routes the route containing the most lightly loadedcommunications paths or trunk groups, as is described in U. S. Pat. No.5,101,451 issued Mar. 31, 1992 to G. R. Ash et al., which is herebyincorporated by reference, and routes the call via the link (path).

Assume at this point, that a user at station 13 places a long distancecall to station 10-1. LEC 35, responsive thereto, collects the dialedcalled number, and forwards the call and dialed digits to the tollswitch that is connected to path 36. The receiving toll switch that iswithin switch cluster 400, responds to receipt of the call andaccompanying dialed number from LEC 35, by forming a message containing,inter alia, the called number and a translation request and sends themessage to its associated regional data base 800. Data base 800, inturn, translates the called number into the address of the destinationswitch cluster (DSC) for the call. Data base 800 does this using aparticular translation table. An Example of such a translation table isillustrated in FIG. 3. Briefly, a system administrator (not shown)stores in the memory of each of the regional data bases a copy oftranslation table 900 that is populated with 10 digit long distancetelephone numbers (represented in FIG. 3 by letters, e.g., aaabbbcccc)and the addresses of the switch clusters (also represented in FIG. 3 byletters) which are the respective destination points (DSCs) for thosenumbers. The regional data base uses the received telephone number toindex a location in table 900 and unloads the address stored at thatlocation. The unloaded address is then returned to the originator of therequest, which, in the present illustrative example, is switch cluster400.

Upon receipt of the address of the destination switch cluster thatserves the called telephone number, the receiving toll switch of cluster400 (FIG. 2) uses that address to access a conventional translationtable (not shown) that is stored locally to obtain the identity(address) of a trunk group that may be used to forward the call towardthe DSC, in which the trunk group may be connected to another tollswitch within the associated cluster rather than to the DSC. If thetrunk group connects to another toll switch of the same cluster, thenthe latter translation table also provides the address of that tollswitch. For that case, the receiving toll switch extends the call overan available trunk of the identified trunk group and supplies the callinformation and identity of the DSC to the toll switch identified by thelatter translation, in which such information is supplied via anassociated data network similar to network 150 in cluster 400. Thelatter toll switch then similarly determines the address of the anassociated trunk group extending to the identified DSC and selects anavailable trunk from that group and routes the call to the DSC in aconventional manner. It also supplies the call information as aso-called Initial Address Message (IAM) addressed to the DSC via the SS7network interconnecting the network switch clusters.

It is seen from the FIG. 2 that toll switch 110 interfaces switchcluster 100 with switch cluster 400. Accordingly, then, toll switch 110receives the station 13 call via trunk group 401 and receives theassociated call information (IAM message) via the SS7 network and localdata network 150. Toll switch 110, in a similar manner, accesses itstrunk table using the received DSC address to determine which of itstrunk groups may be used to forward the received call toward itsdestination. In doing so, toll switch 110 determines via a localdatabase (not shown) that the call may be routed via either toll switch105 or 115, both of which connect to LEC 25-1 via respective trunkgroups. Switch 110, therefore, selects the least loaded path, assumed tobe via toll switch 105. Thus, for the present illustrative example, tollswitch 110 selects an available trunk from trunk group 111 and forwardsthe call to toll switch 105 via the selected trunk. Toll switch 110 alsosupplies the associated call information to toll switch 105 via network150. Upon receipt of the call, toll switch 105 determines in aconventional manner the local exchange carrier that is to receive thecall, which in the present example would be LEC 25-1, and then forwardsthe call to LEC 25-1 in a conventional manner via path 106. LEC 25-1then completes the connection to station 10-1 in a conventional mannerand returns supervisory signals indicative of the progress of the callto toll switch 105. Toll switch 105, in turn, supplies the supervisorysignals, e.g., answer supervision, to the OSC via SS7 network.

If switch cluster 400 finds that it does not have an available trunk tothe DSC then, switch cluster 400 may forward the call using a schemesimilar to the RTNR routing scheme disclosed in the aforementioned G. R.Ash patent In such a case, the call may be routed via, for example,switch cluster 500, which then forwards the call to cluster 100.

In an illustrative embodiment of the invention, a switch cluster mayinclude a plurality of connection control processors (which may be, forexample, a Pentium based computed supported by appropriate databases(not shown)) associated with respective ones of the toll switchesforming the associated cluster as shown in FIG. 4. Specifically, each ofthe connection control (CC) processors 725-1 through 725-4 is arrangedto implement the connection control functions previously performed by atoll switch as a further way of increasing the call processing capacityof a switch cluster. To that end, a CC processor, e.g., CC processor725-1, on behalf of its associated toll switch, e.g., toll switch 705,receives and transmits call information via local high speed datanetwork 750. Assume that a switch cluster (not shown) forwards a call toanother switch cluster, e.g., cluster 700, via an intertoll trunk, e.g.,trunk 706, and supplies the associated call information to the lattercluster via the SS7 network (in the form of a SS7 Initial AddressMessage (IAM) message). Such IAM information is first received byconventional SS7 interface module which monitors the SS7 network onbehalf of its associated switch cluster. (The interface module may be,for example, a conventional signal processor.) If an SS7 message isaddressed to that switch cluster, then interface 730 accepts themessage. If the message is an IAM message, then Interface 730 processesthe trunk group address contained in the message to determine which ofthe toll switches in the associated cluster is connected to toll trunkassigned to that address. When it makes that determination, theninterface 730 appends the address of that toll switch to the IAM messageand retransmits the message over high-speed data network 750.

Each of the CC processors 725-i monitor high speed data network 750 andaccept messages addressed to its associated toll switch. Thus, for thepresent illustrative example, CC processor 725-1 accepts the messagere-transmitted by interface 730. If the message is an IAM message, thenCC processor 725-1 processes the contents of the message to determinethe routing, i.e., the DSC (which could be a LEC) and which toll switchof the associated cluster is connected to the DSC. If CC processor 725-1finds that the latter toll switch is toll switch 705, then CC processor725-1 determines which trunk group associated with toll switch 705 isconnected to the DSC and selects an available trunk from that trunkgroup (e.g., trunk group 707) to route the call received via trunk group706 toward the DSC. CC processor 725-1 then determines the connectionthat needs to be establish through the toll switch 705 switch fabric(not shown) to the incoming call to the available trunk of trunk group707. CC processor 725-1 then supplies the connection information and IAMmessage to the toll switch 705 switch controller (SC), which thenestablishes the identified connection over the associated toll switch705 switching fabric. In addition, if CC processor 725-1 finds that theaddress of the DSC is assigned to another switch cluster in network 750,then CC processor 725-1 forms a new IAM message containing, inter alia,the call information and address of the trunk over which the call isbeing forwarded to the DSC and transmits the message over high speeddata network 750. Interface 730 recognizing that the message isaddressed to an external switch cluster, removes the message fromnetwork 750 and retransmits the message over the SS7 network.

CC processor 725-1 also performs the latter function if it finds thatthe DSC is a LEC that is connected to the SS7 network.

If the DSC is a LEC that is not connected to the SS7 network, then thetoll switch 705 switch controller supplies the call information to theLEC via an alternative signaling arrangement, e.g., in-band signaling.

If CC processor 725-1 finds that the DSC is connected to another tollswitch in cluster 700, then CC processor 725-1 identifies an availableswitch 705 trunk connected to that toll switch. Assuming that the lattertoll switch is toll switch 715, then CC processor 725-1 determines theswitch connection that needs to be established between incoming trunk706 and the outgoing trunk, e.g., trunk 708 connected to switch 715. CCprocessor 725-1 then passes the connection information and received IAMto the toll switch 705 switch controller, which then establishes theidentified connection over the switch 705 switching fabric. Similarly,CC processor 725-1 forms a new IAM message and sends the message to tollswitch 715 via high speed data network 750. CC processor 725-3 acceptsthe message on behalf of toll switch 715 and then similarly processesthe message in the manner described above for CC processor 725-1.

In an alternative embodiment of switch cluster 700, the first CCprocessor 725-i that receives the initial IAM message from anotherswitch cluster, processes the call connection on behalf of the cluster,Specifically, for the above case, CC processor 725-1 determines theconnection through the toll switch 705 switching fabric to trunk 708. Italso determines a connection from the trunk 708 appearance at switch 715and extending through the switch 715 switching fabric to an availableoutput trunk to forward the call to the destination. CC processor 725-1then sends the appropriate connection information to each toll switches705 and 715 including the associated call information.

In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, the switchcontroller function typically implemented in a toll switch is disposedexternal to the toll switch as is shown in FIG. 5, in which switchcontrollers 775-1 through 775-4 implement conventional call processingfunctions on behalf of the their respective toll switches 805, 810, 815and 820. Each of the switch controllers 775-1 through 775-4 is connectedto its respective toll switch for local switch control purposes and isalso connected to high speed data network 780 for the purpose of thecommunicating with a Connection Control (CC) processors 760-1 through760-N. CC processors 760-i (which also may be, for example, a Pentiumbased computed supported by appropriate databases (not shown)) areassociated with cluster 850 rather than respective ones of the tollswitches. Similarly, then, each of the connection control (CC)processors 760-1 through 760-N is arranged to implement the connectioncontrol functions previously performed by a toll switch connectioncontroller and switch controller as a further way of increasing the callprocessing capacity of a switch cluster, in which the selection of CCprocessor to perform those functions on behalf of a toll switch isselected by processor 770.

Specifically, again assume that a switch cluster (not shown) forwards acall to another switch cluster, e.g., cluster 850, via an intertolltrunk, e.g., trunk 806, and supplies the associated call information tothe latter cluster via the SS7 network IAM message. The IAM informationis first received by SS7 signal processor 770 (which may be, forexample, a conventional high-speed digital signal processing circuit).That is, processor 770 monitors the SS7 network on behalf of itsassociated switch cluster and accepts messages addressed to switchcluster 850. If the message is an IAM message, then signal processor 770processes the incoming trunk group address contained in the message todetermine which of the toll switches in the associated cluster isconnected to the toll trunk assigned to that address. When it makes thatdetermination, then processor 770 appends the address of that tollswitch to the IAM message. Signal processor 770 then (a) selects, inaccordance with a conventional load balancing scheme, e.g., around-robin scheme, one of the CC processor 760-1 through 760-N tohandle the incoming call, (b) prepends the address of that CC processorto the message and (c) transmits the resulting message over high-speeddata network 780. Assuming that signal processor 770 selects CCprocessor 760-2 to handle the call, then the address of that processoris prepended to the transmitted message. Since CC processors 760-imonitor high-speed data network 780 for messages bearing theirrespective addresses, then processor 760-2 removes the transmittedmessage from network 780 and processes it. That is, If the message is anIAM message, then CC processor 760-2 processes the contents of themessage to determine the routing to the DSC (which could be a LEG) anddetermine which toll switch of the associated cluster is connected tothe DSC. CC processor 760-2 determines such routing by sending a requestmessage to translate the called number into associated routinginformation to one of the data bases 765-i via data network 780. If theresponse from the accessed data base indicates that toll switch 805 isconnected to the DSC, then CC processor 760-2 determines which trunkgroup associated with toll switch 805 is connected to the DSC andselects an available trunk from that trunk group (e.g., trunk group 807)to route the call received via one of the intertoll trunks 806 towardthe DSC. CC processor 760-2 then determines the connection that needs tobe establish through the toll switch 705 switch fabric (not shown) toconnect the incoming call to an available outgoing trunk of trunk group707. CC processor 760-2 then forms the connection information and IAMmessage into a message addressed to switch controller 775-1 associatedwith toll switch 805. Similarly, switch controller 775-1, responsive toreceipt of the message, then directs the toll switch 805 switch fabricto establish the identified connection.

Similarly, if CC processor 760-2 finds that the address of the DSC isassigned to another switch cluster, then CC processor 760-2 forms a newIAM message containing, inter alia, the call information including andaddress of the trunk over which the call is being forwarded to the DSCand transmits the message over high speed data network 780. Signalprocessor 770 recognizing that the message is addressed to an externalswitch cluster, removes the message from network 790 and retransmits themessage over the SS7 network. (Note that CC processor 760-2, as wasdiscussed above in connection with FIG. 3, similarly performs the latterfunction if it finds that the DSC is a LEC that is connected to the SS7network. Also, if the DSC is a LEC that is not connected to the SS7network, then toll switch 805 supplies the call information to the LECvia an alternative signaling arrangement, e.g., in-band signaling, as isdone conventionally. Also, when a LEC supplies call information to atoll switch via the alternative signaling arrangement, then thatinformation is received by the toll switch and supplied to a CCprocessor via, for example, the associated switch controller or callprocessor. The CC processor then processes the information to determinethe routing for the associated call, as discussed above.)

If CC processor 760-2 finds that the DSC is connected to another tollswitch in cluster 850, then CC processor 760-2 identifies an availableswitch 805 trunk connected to that toll switch. Assuming that the lattertoll switch is toll switch 815, then CC processor 760-2 determines theswitch connection that needs to be established between incoming trunk806 and the outgoing trunk, e.g., trunk 808, connected to switch 815. CCprocessor 760-2 passes the connection information and received IAM tothe toll switch 805 switch controller, which then establishes theidentified connection over the switch 805 switching fabric. Similarly,CC processor 760-2 (a) identifies an available switch 815 trunk that maybe used to route the incoming call to the DSC, (b) forms a new IAMmessage identifying a connection between the available trunk and trunk808, and (c) sends the message to toll switch controller 775-3 via highspeed data network 780. Similarly, switch controller 775-3 accepts themessage on behalf of toll switch 815 and then processes the message inthe manner described above for switch controller 775-1.

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention.Those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous arrangements,which, although not explicitly shown or described herein, neverthelessembody those principles that are within the spirit and scope of theinvention. For example, a cluster or group of switches could include aLocal Exchange Carrier (LEC) so that the cluster connects directly withsubscriber. Moreover, the function implemented by a LEC could beimplemented by a connection control processor or implemented by a tollswitch. For the latter case, a toll switch would handle both local andlong distance calls/traffic.

As another example, the type of switches used in one cluster could bedifferent from the type switches used in another cluster. Moreover, thetechnology implementing one of cluster of switches could be differentfrom the technology implementing another cluster of switches, e.g.,Synchronous Transfer Mode (STM) as is implemented by the No. 4ESS tollswitch and No. 5ESS switch, Asynchronous Transfer Mode, Frame relay,etc. This would allow transparent technology conversion at the trunkinterface while call processing (signaling) conversions occurs in theconnection controller. As another example, a switch cluster may containa single switch. When another switch is added to that cluster, and thusto the associated network, there would be no need to interconnect thenew switch with each of the other clusters in the network, since thecluster would have be already interconnected with the other clusters.All that needs to be done is to interconnect the new switch with theexisting switch. As a further example, initially each cluster could haveonly a single switch and thereafter evolve into a network in which onesof the clusters may comprise different numbers of switches.

We claim:
 1. A method of forming a plurality of communication switchesinto a communication network so that a call initiated by a callingstation may be forwarded to a called station, said method comprising thesteps of:forming said plurality of communication switches intorespective groups of communication switches; associating the switches ina group with respective connection control processors, said connectioncontrol processors implemented externally from the switches in saidgroup; connecting each of the communications switches forming arespective one of said groups of communications switches to individualother ones of said groups of telecommunication switches as a way ofinterconnecting said groups of telecommunication switches with oneanother; responsive to receipt of said call and accompanying callinginformation, determining as a function of the calling information whichof said groups is a destination point in said communications network forsaid call; and forwarding said call, via said communication network, toa predetermined one of the switches in a particular one of said groupsof said communication switches determined as said destination point andsupplying calling and signaling information associated with said call tothe connection control processor associated with the predetermined oneof the switches so that the associated connection control processor maydetermine the way in which said call is to be forwarded to said calledstation via said particular one of said groups of said communicationswitches.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determiningincludes the step of:associating each of said groups of communicationsswitches with a unique identifier as a way of associating a telephonenumber identifying said called station with a particular one of saidgroups serving as a destination point in said communication network forcalls placed to that telephone number; and determining said destinationpoint by translating said called number into an identifier associatedwith said particular one of said groups.
 3. The method of claim 1further comprising the steps of:receiving said call and at least acalled number associated with said called station at another one of saidgroups of communication switches serving as an origination point withinsaid communication network for said call; translating said called numberinto an identifier associated with said particular one of said groups ofsaid communications switches; and forwarding said call to saidpredetermined one of the switches via said communication network andsupplying said calling and signaling information to the connectioncontrol processor associated with said predetermined one of the switchesvia a data network common to said communications network.
 4. The methodof claim 3 wherein said step of translating includes the step of sendingat least said called telephone number in a message to a data base, saiddata base translating said called telephone number into the identifierassociated with said particular one of said groups of said communicationswitches and then sending a return message containing at least thelatter address to the originator of the message containing said callednumber.
 5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the stepsof:receiving said call at said predetermined one of the switches formingsaid particular group of communication switches; receiving said call andsignaling information at the connection control processor associatedwith the predetermined one of the switches and determining which one ofthe switches forming said particular group of communication switches maybe used to forward said call from said destination point to said calledstation; and forwarding said call to said called station via thedetermined one of the switches.
 6. The method of claim 5 furthercomprising the step of:responsive to said determined one of saidswitches being other than said predetermined one of the switches formingsaid particular group of communication switches, forwarding saidreceived call from said predetermined one of the switches forming tosaid determined one of the switches so that said call may be forwardedto the called station.
 7. The method of claim 5 further comprising thestep of:responsive to determining that said call may be forwarded to thecalled station via either said predetermined one of said switches orsaid determined one of said switches, selecting one of those switches asa function of a predetermined selection criterion and then forwardingsaid call to said called station via the selected switch.
 8. A method ofarranging a plurality of communication switches into a communicationnetwork so that a call initiated by a calling station may be forwardedto a called station via said communication network, said methodcomprising the steps of:forming said plurality of communication switchesinto respective groups of communication switches such that the switchesforming a respective group are interconnected to one another;associating the switches in a group with respective connection controlprocessors, said connection control processors implemented externallyfrom the switches in said group, said connection control processors ofan associated group being connected to one another for the purpose ofexchanging call and routing information; connecting each of thecommunications switches forming a respective one of said groups ofcommunications switches to individual other ones of said groups oftelecommunication switches as a way of interconnecting said groups oftelecommunication switches with one another; associating each of saidgroups of communications switches with a unique identifier as a way ofassociating a telephone number identifying said called station with aparticular one of said groups serving as a destination point in saidcommunications network for calls placed to that telephone number; andresponsive to receiving said call at said communication network,forwarding said call via said communication network to a predeterminedone of the switches in said particular one of said groups of saidcommunication switches serving as the destination point for said call insaid communication network and supplying calling and routing informationassociated with said call to the respective one of the connectioncontrol processors that is associated with the predetermined one of theswitches so that the latter connection control processor may determinethe way in which said call is to be forwarded to said called station viasaid particular one of said groups of said communication switches. 9.The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:receiving saidcall and at least a called number associated with said called station atanother one of said groups of communication switches serving as anorigination point within said communication network for said call;translating said called number into the identifier associated with saidparticular one of said groups of said communications switches; andforwarding said call to said predetermined one of the switches via saidcommunication network and supplying said calling and routing informationto said one of said connection control processors via a data networkcommon to said communications network.
 10. The method of claim 9 whereinsaid step of translating includes the step of sending at least saidcalled telephone number in a message to a data base, said data basetranslating said called telephone number into the identifier associatedwith said particular one of said groups of said communication switchesand then sending a return message containing at least the latter addressto the originator of the message containing said called number.
 11. Themethod of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:receiving said call atsaid predetermined one of the switches forming said particular group ofcommunication switches; receiving said call and signaling information atsaid connection control processors and determining which one of theswitches forming said particular group of communication switches may beused to forward said call from said destination point to said calledstation; and forwarding said call to said called station via thedetermined one of the switches.
 12. The method of claim 11 furthercomprising the step of:responsive to said determined one of saidswitches being other than said predetermined one of the switches formingsaid particular group of communication switches, forwarding saidreceived call from said predetermined one of the switches forming tosaid determined one of the switches so that said call may be forwardedto the called station.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step offorwarding includes the steps of:forwarding said received call over aconnection interconnecting said predetermined one switch and saiddetermined switch of the switches forming said particular group ofcommunication switches; and supplying at least said calling informationto the connection control processor associated with said determined oneof said switches, in which said supplying is done via a data networkinterconnecting only the connection control processor associated withsaid particular group of communication switches.
 14. A method comprisingthe steps of:forming a plurality of communication switches intorespective groups of communication switches, said groups of switchesforming a communication network operative for forwarding a callinitiated by a calling station to a called station; connecting each ofsaid groups of switches via respective signal processors to a datanetwork common to said groups so that the groups of switches mayexchange call and signaling information with each other; connecting theswitches forming a respective group of switches to respective switchcontrollers and interconnecting via a dedicated data network the switchcontrollers with a plurality of associated connection controlprocessors, said connection control processors implemented externallyfrom the switches in said group and connecting said dedicated network tosaid common network via a respective signal processor; connecting eachof the communication switches forming a respective one of said groups ofcommunications switches to individual other ones of said groups oftelecommunication switches as a way of interconnecting said groups oftelecommunication switches with one another; responsive to receipt ofsaid call and accompanying calling information at said communicationnetwork, determining as a function of the calling information which of asaid groups is a destination point for said call, and forwarding saidcall to one of the switches forming a particular group of communicationswitches identified as said destination point and forwarding calling andsignaling information associated with said call to said particular groupvia said common data network; receiving, via said common data network,said signaling information at the signal processor, said signalprocessor forwarding said calling and signaling information to aselected one of the plurality of associated connection controlprocessors via the dedicated network; and at the selected one of theplurality of connection control processors (a) determining as a functionof the received call and signaling information which the switchesforming said particular group of communication switches may be used toforward said call to said called station, and (b) directing the switchcontroller associated with the determined switch to cause said one ofthe switches to forward said call to the determined one of the switches.15. The method of claim 14 wherein each of the switches of a group havean associated switching fabric, and wherein said step of directingincludes the step of determining the connection through the switchingfabric associated with said one of the switches to route the call to thedetermined one of the switches and supplying the determined connectioninformation to the respective one of the switch controllers, saidrespective one of the switch controllers then causing the switchingfabric of said one of the switches to establish said connection.
 16. Themethod of claim 14 wherein said step of directing further includes thestep of determining the connection through the switching fabricassociated with the determined one of the switches forward the call fromthe determined switch to the called station and supplying, via theassociated dedicated data network, information defining that connectionto that one of the switch controllers associated with the determined oneof the switches, the latter switch controller then causing the switchingfabric associated with the determined one of the switches to establishsaid connection.
 17. A method of forming a plurality of communicationswitches into a communication network so that a call initiated by acalling station may be forwarded to a called station comprising thesteps of:forming said plurality of communication switches intorespective groups of communication switches; associating each of saidgroups of switches with a plurality of connection control processorseach operative for routing a respective call through the associatedgroup of switches, said connection control processors implementedexternally from the switches in said group; connecting each of thecommunications switches forming a respective one of said groups ofcommunications switches to individual other ones of said groups oftelecommunication switches as a way of interconnecting said groups oftelecommunication switches with one another; responsive to receipt ofsaid call and accompanying calling information, determining as afunction of the calling information which of said groups is adestination point in said communications network for said call; andforwarding said call, via said communication network, to a predeterminedone of the switches in a particular one of said groups of saidcommunication switches determined as said destination point andsupplying calling and signaling information associated with said call toa selected one of the associated connection control processors so thatthe selected connection control processor may determine the way in whichsaid call is to be forwarded to said called station via said particularone of said groups of said communication switches.